Attention all volunteers!

Please join us for the quarterly Sterling Boulevard Cleanup from 9:00 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, November 4.

All participants should come to BRIAR PATCH PARK (located along Sterling Blvd. between Charlotte St. and Frederick Dr.) at 8:45 a.m. to receive orange bags, safety vests, and instructions. Please bring work gloves!In case of inclement weather, the cleanup will be postponed until Saturday, November 11.

This service project is organized by the not-for-profit Sterling Foundation to preserve the beauty of the community. For more information, contact Kevin Chroninger at 703-406-7749.

July 22August 12September 2September 17th October 6thOctober 21 November 18th

We encourage anyone concerned about this to become a member, which costs only $20 annually per family.

Further information:

The primary budget of our non-profit organization is dedicated to contracted mowing by a landscaping company, at a steeply discounted (for Northern Virginia market) rate procured by open bid each year. From our membership funds and SterlingFest, we can afford 10 (ten) mowings a year.

VDOT is required to mow only when median grass becomes so high that it obstructs drivers’ vision. In practice this leads to a neighborhood atmosphere of unsightly neglect, with 6 weeks or more between VDOT mowing. There is no HOA for much of Sterling Park. The median gets mowed by the Sterling Foundation ten times a year, by VDOT far less often.

We also budget small one-time funds for ornamental grass cleanup, focused weed spraying, tree and shrub care, or other ad hoc tasks to keep the median healthy and beautiful year after year. The one-time efforts are run by member volunteers, with costs incurred for equipment rental or necessary materials only.

Before and during the mowing season, member volunteers conduct quarterly litter cleanups. This helps the contracted landscapers to run their large equipment quickly, without obstacles, and also to save them time throughout.

We must prioritize the mowing over other activities. Therefore, we have been able to add some local environmental and educational activities only as we have bandwidth, often in partnership with other volunteer organizations. The Helen Casey Memorial Butterfly Garden, 2017 Health and Wellness Fair, 2017 Project Clean Stream, and Teen Serve Camp work on Guilford Station are some of these.

The patch we’re calling the Helen Casey Memorial Garden is at the corner of South Sterling Boulevard and East Staunton Avenue. THE PLANTS are almost in! Milkweed plus some other tasty treats for these beauties.

We need volunteers for two stages of work tentatively planned this week:

Mowing and weedwhacking Thursday, May 18 (8:30 a.m. onwards, scouts will join in the evening after school)

Planting Sunday, May 21 (9:00 a.m. onwards.)

You can join by showing up! Questions please contact our Chairman Aaron Gilman directly at 571-212-0378. [Update 5/18 – Aaron’s phone may not work so try Jon Carter at 571-449-7686]

Please consider taking part in the fundraising marathon today by supporting the Sterling Foundation at any amount!

When you’ve done that, click on the group photo below the fun album from this weekend’s Sterling Project Clean Stream! 60 volunteers removed 1000 lbs of metal, 55 bags of trash, 22 bags of recycling, tires, TVs, part of a car trailer, a sectional couch, a mattress, and 3 car batteries from Cabin Branch creek! THANK YOU to all our sponsors and partners.

The stream cleanup is almost here, and we’ve been busy. Maybe you’ve seen one of our Flyers, or the banner at the end of Greenthorn. Please share the Facebook event with your friends, and keep visiting our Project Clean Stream page for all updates!